A portable electronic device can take many forms such as, for example, a tablet computing device, media player, or mobile phone. Such devices often have wireless communication mechanisms, in order to provide wireless communication between the portable device and base stations, cell phone towers, desktop computers, etc. Common wireless communication mechanisms include IEEE 802.11a, b, g, and n (commonly known as “WiFi”), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), and cellular communications mechanisms such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA).
Many portable electronic devices capable of wireless network communications do not include jacks or ports for wired network communications. Even so, on some occasions, it may be desirable to communicate with such portable electronic devices via a wired connection rather than a wireless network. For example, certain transmissions may require heightened security (e.g., secret or classified military or law enforcement data, sensitive financial data, private healthcare information, confidential technical data, etc.) or increased bandwidth or reliability (e.g., real-time telecommunications data, etc.), for which transmission over a wireless network may not be desirable or appropriate.